Sealing lap on taped sealed cans



March 28, 3967 J DQWLING ETAL 3,311,25fi

SEALING LAP ON TAPED SEALED CANS Filed Sept. 1, 1,964

INVENTORS DANEEL l DowLme -&umow L. GMVYBLE BY l 7 m M I I 1 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,311,256 SEALING LAP 0N TAPED SEALED CANS Daniel J. Dowling, Chicago, and Burton L. Gamble, Hinsdale, Ill., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 1, 1964, Ser. No. 393,532 3 Claims. (Cl. 22053) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in container construction, and more particularly to the sealing of a closure to a container body by means of a tape.

This invention particularly relates to a container which includes a container body having an extreme end portion which is of a reduced cross section and which has telescoped thereover a skirt of a closure. In forming the container body, it has been found necessary to form a lap seam in the extreme end portion and that portion of the container body adjacent the extreme end portion. As a result, the outer lap projects outwardly of the container body and presents a problem in sealing the line of juncture between the closure and the container body by means of a tape. It will be readily apparent that when a tape is wrapped around the container body after it has been closed and the tape bridges the line of juncture between the closure and the container body, as the tape passes over the lap seam, due to the fact that the outer lap is spaced outwardly of the inner lap, there will be a space along the inner lap immediately adjacent the outer lap wherein the tape is not sealed to the container body and there remains a path for the flow of gases along the lap seam, under the tape and into the circumferential seam between the closure and the container body.

In view of the foregoing, it is the primary object of this invention to provide an extremely simple method of forming an effective seal between the tape and the container body adjacent the lap seam.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel taped sealed container of the type described above wherein a fillet forming filler is positioned between the container body immediately adjacent the outwardly projecting part of the outer lap and the tape with the filler completely filling the space between the tape and the can body adjacent the outwardly projecting outer seam and to complete the seal between the tape and the container body.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tape sealed container of the type set forth above wherein the filler has adhesive properties compatible with both the container body and the tape so that the filler bonds to both the container body and the tape.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of effecting a seal between the container body and the sealing tape in the afore-described container by applying to the container body on the inner lap thereof immediately adjacent the outer lap a tacky material prior to the application of a tape, and then effectively spreading the tacky filler material as the tape is being applied.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a seal in a taped sealed container in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the tape is applied to the container in a direction opposing the free edge of the outer lap so that the tacky material is forced into the corners of the recess between the inner lap and the outer lap and an effective seal is assured.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing:

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a sealed container formed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 and shows generally the connection between the container body and the closure therefor.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIGURE 1 and shows more specifically the manner in which the sealing tape is sealed relative to the container body at the lapped seam therein.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top perspective view showing the container body as it appears before a closure is applied thereto, and the closure being in the process of being applied.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which a glob of tacky material is applied to the inner lap of the container body immediately adjacent the edge of the outer lap.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top perspective view showing the process of applying the sealing tape to the container body.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a container formed in accordance with this invention, the container being generally referred to by the numeral 10. The container 10 includes a container body 11 which has the lower end thereof closed by means of a bottom 12 which is secured to the lower end of the container body 11 by means of a conventional double seam 13.

The container body 11 is preferably formed of metal, although it may be formed of other materials, and is provided with a body seam 14. The body seam 14 is primarily of the hooked type. However, due to the special formation of the container body 11 at an adjacent upper end thereof, the upper portion of the seam 14 is in the form of a lapped seam, the lapped seam being referred to by the numeral 15. It will be readily apparent from FIGURE 3 that the lapped seam 15 includes an inner lap 16 and an outer lap 17. The laps 16 and 17 are bonded together by means of a solder 18 in a conventional manner. As is customary in the formation of soldered lapped joints, there is an excess of solder at the opposite ends of the lap, which excess solder at the edge of the inner lap is referred to by the numeral 19 and at the edge of the outer lap is referred to by the numeral 20. The excess solder 21), however, is not SUffiClCHt to provide a fillet between the outer lap 17 and the material of the container body 11 adjacent the inner lap 16.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 in particular, it will be seen that the construction of the container body 11 is such that the extreme upper end portion, which is referred to by the numeral 21, is of a reduced cross section as compared to the adjacent portion of the container body. The adjacent portion of the container body is referred to by the numeral 22 and is connected to the extreme upper end portion by means of an offset portion 23.

The container 10 also includes a closure which is generally referred to by the numeral 24. The closure 24 is formed primarily of an end wall 25 and a depending peripheral skirt 26. The closure 24 is dimensioned so that the skirt 26 will telescope over the reduced cross section extreme upper end portion 21, as is clearly shown in FIG- URE 2.

It is to be understood that although the skirt 26 may be dimensioned to snugly fit over the extreme upper end portion 21, it will not be possible to provide a gas tight seal between the closure 24 and the container body 11 when mass producing the containers 10. Accordingly, the connection between the closure 24 and the container body 11 is sealed by means of a tape 27 which is applied to the exterior of the container 10. The tape 27 is formed of suitable gas impervious material and is suitably bonded to the skirt 26 and the portion 22 of the can body around 3 the entire periphery of the can body 11. It is to be understood that the manner in which the tape 27 is bonded to the can body portion 22 and the skirt 26 is immaterial as far as this invention is concerned, and may be either directly bonded to the skirt and the container body or may be bonded thereto by means of an adhesive.

This invention is directed to the problem of forming a complete seal between the tape 27 and the container body 11. It is to be noted from FIGURE 3 that as the tape 27 passes across the lapped seam 15, the tape 27 becomes spaced from the container body inner lap as it approaches the outer lap. Thus, there remains a space between the tape 27 and the container body portion 22 through which a gas may pas-s with this passage opening into the line of juncture between the container body 11 and the closure 24. This invention is directed to a simple way of eftecting the sealing of this passage.

In accordance with this invention, a fillet of tacky filler material is placed on the outer surface of the container body 11 along the lapped seam 15 of the container body portion 2-2 immediately adjacent the free edge of the outer lap 17. The position of this filler material, which is referred to be the numeral 28, is clearly illustrated in FIGURE 5. The filler material 28 may be applied in any manner and is schematically illustrated as being applied by means of a nozzle 29. It is to be understood that the filler material has several requirements. These include that it is fiowable under pressure and is tacky. Also, it is necessary that the filler material 28 be compatible with both the material of the container body 11 and the tape 27.

It is to be understood that the filler material 28 is preferably not applied to the container body 11 until after the closure 24 has been positioned thereon, although it is feasible to apply the filler material 28 in advance of the closing of the container body 11. After the filler material 28 has been applied to the closed container, the tape 27 is wrapped around the upper portion of the container with the tape 27 having the upper portion thereof bonded to the skirt 26 and the lower portion thereof bonded to the container body intermediate portion 22, the tape 27 bridging the line of juncture between the closure 24 and the container body 11. The tape 27 can be applied to the container 10 in any desired manner and may be easily applied by adhering the free end of the tape 27 to the container 10 and then rotating the container 10, as is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 6.

It is to be noted that the tape 27 is so applied to the container 10 wherein the direction of application of tape 27 is opposite to the direction which the free edge of the outer lap 17 faces. Thus, as the tape 27 is being applied to the container 10, it will engage the glob of filler material 28 and progressively spread out the fil-le-r material and force the same into the corner defined by the outer lap and the inner lap of the lapped seam 15. Thus, the action of applying the tape 27 will also function to evenly spread the filler material 28 and assure the complete filling of the void between the tape 27 and the container body 11 immediately adjacent the lapped seam 15 in the manner best shown in FIGURE 3,

It will be readily apparent that since the filler material 28 is tacky, once it is applied to the container 10, the filler material will remain in place thereon and the container may be readily handled for the application of the tape 27. It is merely necessary to apply the filler material 28 at the proper point on the periphery of the container body 1 1.

Although only a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that other minor variations may be made in the sealing of the disclosed container within the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new:

1. A tape sealed container comprising a container body having an extreme end portion of a reduced cross section as compared to an adjacent end portion thereof, said container body having a body seam of which at least that por-' tion extending across said adjacent end portion is of a lapped construction resulting in an outwardly projecting part of said container body, a closure having a skirt portion telescoped over said container body extreme end portion, a sealing tape extending about the exterior of said container and bridging a line of juncture between said container body and said closure with said sealing tape being bonded to said closure skirt portion and said container body intermediate portion, said sealing tape being spaced from said container body immediately adjacent said outwardly projecting part, and a fillet forming filler positioned between said container body immediately adjacent said outward-1y projecting part and said tape and filling the space therebetween to complete the seal between said container body and said tape, said filler having adhesive properties compatible with said container body and said tape and being bonded thereto.

2. A method of sealing a closure to a container body wherein said closure is telescoped over an extreme end portion of said container body and an adjacent portion of said container body has a lapped seam including an inner lap and an outwardly projecting outer lap, said method comprising the steps of placing a tacky filler on said inner lap immediately adjacent said outer lap, and then wrapping a tape around said closure and said container body in bridging and bonding relation thereto with said tape spreading said tacky filler to form a seal completing fillet between the projecting edge of said outer lap and said inner lap.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said tape is applied in a direction opposing said outer lap edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,561 6/ 1891 Quentell 220--53 2,747,345 5/1956 Plastino 22053 3,186,581 6/1965 Schneider et al. 22053 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TAPE SEALED CONTAINER COMPRISING A CONTAINER BODY HAVING AN EXTREME END PORTION OF A REDUCED CROSS SECTION AS COMPARED TO AN ADJACENT END PORTION THEREOF, SAID CONTAINER BODY HAVING A BODY SEAM OF WHICH AT LEAST THAT PORTION EXTENDING ACROSS SAID ADJACENT END PORTION IS OF A LAPPED CONSTRUCTION RESULTING IN AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING PART OF SAID CONTAINER BODY, A CLOSURE HAVING A SKIRT PORTION TELESCOPED OVER SAID CONTAINER BODY EXTREME END PORTION, A SEALING TAPE EXTENDING ABOUT THE EXTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER AND BRIDGING A LINE OF JUNCTURE BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER BODY AND SAID CLOSURE WITH SAID SEALING TAPE BEING BONDED TO SAID CLOSURE SKIRT PORTION AND SAID CONTAINER BODY INTERMEDIATE PORTION, SAID SEALING TAPE BEING SPACED FROM SAID CONTAINER BODY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID OUTWARDLY PROJECTING PART, AND A FILLET FORMING FILLER POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CONTAINER BODY IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT SAID OUTWARDLY PROJECTING PART AND SAID TAPE AND FILLING THE SPACE THEREBETWEEN TO COMPLETE THE SEAL BETWEEN SAID CONTANER BODY AND SAID TAPE, SAID FILLER HAVING ADHESIVE PROPERTIES COMPATIBLE WITH SAID CONTAINER BODY AND SAID TAPE AND BEING BONDED THERETO. 